Aged moonshine in oak barrels. How to age moonshine in a barrel

Decent brandy is obscenely expensive. Cognac at an affordable price with one hundred percent probability is a mixture of dyes, flavors and alcohol, and even a little money is not worth paying for it. With a little effort, you can easily prepare a drink from ordinary moonshine that is close in organoleptic properties to good cognac, and precisely devoid of chemical additives.

photo from elit-alco.com.ua

Cognac from moonshine in an oak barrel: recipes of distillers

If you take a good look, then the insistence of moonshine in an oak barrel is not much different from the production of real cognac. According to the classical rules, the distillate obtained after the distillation of wine from certain grape varieties is poured into barrels. Nothing prevents you from making moonshine from grape raw materials, preferably on wild yeast so that the taste of homemade brandy is as close as possible to the original.

Barrel preparation

Do not rush to pour moonshine into a brand new oak barrel. During storage, the wood dries out, and by making such an oversight, you risk losing a significant proportion of the moonshine. In addition, fresh wood contains too high a concentration of tannins and flavoring substances, and moonshine infused in it will have an unpleasant smell and taste, popularly nicknamed "skirting". An oak barrel must be prepared according to the following algorithm:

Paint the end surfaces of the rivets and 3-4 cm of both bottoms in a circle with oil paint in several layers. How Alternative option wax coating is used. This procedure will reduce the capillary impregnation of the liquid, and the amount of cognac evaporated during the aging process (the "angels' share") will be less.

Fill the barrel with clean water room temperature 90% and leave in this form for a day. This time is necessary for the natural sealing of all cracks due to the swelling of the wood. Check fluid level every 2-3 hours and top up as needed.

After a day, the keg will stop leaking, and if this does not happen, then cognac will not be allowed to infuse in it. When all leaks are eliminated, replenish the liquid level again and keep it in this form for 2 days.

photo from gastro-mania.ru

Now it's the turn of steaming, which is used to close small cracks and disinfect. Fill the barrel 1/3 full with boiling water, close tightly and swirl well so that hot water washes all internal surfaces. After 40 minutes, the water will stop emitting steam, and it should be drained.

The soaking step will take 3-6 weeks and will require a fair amount of patience. Fill the barrel with water at room temperature and leave it like that for a day. Change the water every 24 hours until it stops staining and absorbing odors.

Boil water and cool it down to 75⁰С. Add baking soda in the amount of 20 g per liter, and fill the barrel with hot water halfway. Seal tightly and swirl for 10 minutes to allow the alkaline liquid to thoroughly wash the inside.

Drain the soda water, fill the barrel halfway with boiling water and swirl. After 15 minutes, drain the boiling water and fill the entire volume cold water at 12 o'clock.

Secrets of cognac houses

Eminent cognac producers age wine in freshly macerated barrels, and only after that they allow cognac spirit into them. The wine saturates the wood with berry aromas, the notes of which are transferred to vintage cognacs.

Cognac infusion

photo from www.cognacpro.ru

The most difficult stage is already over, and the very preparation of cognac from moonshine in an oak barrel will require almost no effort on your part:

Fill the barrel with moonshine 42-45⁰ strength. For home cooking it is better to use small barrels, as they have more contact area of a liter of distillate with wood.

Place the kegs in the aging room. Ideally, if it is a basement with high level humidity and a constant temperature of 14-16⁰С. After 6 months, take a sample weekly so as not to overexpose the cognac. When you are satisfied with the organoleptic properties, drain it from the keg.

To give cognac caramel accents of taste and smell, as well as a more saturated color, caramel color is used, the recipe of which we will discuss below.

Each subsequent exposure will last longer, as less extractives remain in the wood. It is believed that after 6-7 cycles the barrel becomes unsuitable for cognac aging, but this does not mean that it will have to be thrown away. In an old barrel, it is convenient to age cognac on oak chips or bark, as well as store already infused drinks.

Cognac recipes from moonshine on oak chips

At proper preparation oak chips are in no way inferior to barrels in the efficiency of infusion. On the contrary, the area of contact of moonshine with wood is much larger here, which means that cognac from moonshine on oak chips is infused faster.

Cooking oak chips

photo from o-polze.com

The preparation of wood chips is faster than kegs, but you still have to tinker.

Choose a dry oak log. For a log, deadwood is perfect, which has lain for a couple of years in the open air and has undergone natural soaking. Oak must be old, not less than 35 cm in diameter.

Chop the log into pegs about 2 cm thick. Calculate the length of the pegs based on the size of the infusion container.

Soak wood chips in clean cold water for 24 hours. Change the water every 8 hours.

Dissolve 1 tbsp. soda in 5 liters of water and soak the wood chips in the resulting solution for 6 hours. After that, rinse the pegs thoroughly with running water.

Place the wood in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil over low heat for 45 minutes.

Rinse the wood chips again with clean water. Spread it out in 1 layer and dry until completely dry. It will take 1-2 days, depending on the ambient temperature.

Roast the pegs in a preheated oven at 140-150⁰C for 2 hours. The wood should lightly brown, but not darken.

Ready wood chips are perfectly stored in a dry place for several years, so do it with a margin.

By cutting the log not into pegs, but into thin strips, you get oak chips. Chips are also prepared, but the drink will infuse faster than cognac from moonshine on oak chips. Using the same technology, apple or cherry wood is harvested, which also gives a stunning effect when infusing moonshine.

Chip roasting

photo from alcostore.com.ua

Before infusion, pre-prepared pegs must be burned in a very hot oven, preferably in grill mode, to accentuate aromatic notes. The intensity of roasting determines the dominant accents of the drink:

At the time of the first smoke, light vanilla, floral and fruity aromas are revealed.

The average degree is accompanied by the appearance of haze and a distinct smell. Cognac on such chips acquires caramel, almond and spicy shades.

If, in addition to the previous points, the wood has begun to brown, the moonshine will get a rich aroma of smoke and chocolate.

The main thing is not to burn the wood chips, otherwise the cognac will smell unpleasant and bitter.

Option for the lazy

Distillery shops sell ready-made wood chips in various roasts. So if you do not feel the makings of Papa Carlo for fussing with logs, save your nerves and buy ready-made material.

Cognac recipe from moonshine on oak chips

photo from mameriko.pp.ua

The addition of spices and spices allows you to more accurately repeat the thick rich aroma of real cognac. For a liter of moonshine you will need:

20 g of oak chips;
1 pea allspice;
3 cloves;
3 coriander seeds;
a pinch of nutmeg.

Cooking

In principle, you can do without adding spices, but the aroma of the drink will be less multifaceted.

Pour all the ingredients into the infusion container and fill them with 40-42⁰ moonshine. Close the lid tightly and place in a cool place without light.
After 3 weeks, start taking a sample, controlling the saturation of organoleptic qualities.
When the taste suits you, add caramel color, filter the cognac through several layers of gauze and let it rest for 6-7 days in a dark place.

Recipe for cognac from moonshine on oak bark

Tannins and aromatic substances are contained not only in wood, but also in oak bark. The easiest way is to buy material in a pharmacy, in the herbal medicines department, but prepared on your own smells much stronger, which means that cognac on moonshine with oak bark will be better.

photo from pokemon-go-play.online

Procurement of material

It is better to harvest the bark in June, when the metabolism in plants is most intense.

Select an old tree, at least 35-40 cm in diameter, and separate a small section of the bark.
Cut the resulting material randomly and pour boiling water. After 15 minutes, drain the resulting broth.
Lay the bark out in a well-ventilated area until completely dry. After that, it can be stored in a dry place.
Before use, lightly roast it in the oven, until the first smoke appears.

List of ingredients

photo from ladyideas.ru

Homemade cognac made from moonshine on oak bark is otherwise called rustic, and in its recipes it is better not to exclude spices, as they add nobility to the drink and remove excessive harshness. For 1 liter of moonshine, take the following ingredients:

1 tbsp oak bark;
2 cloves;
1 tsp honey;
3 peas of allspice;
1 tsp hypericum;
1 tsp oregano;
a pinch of coriander and vanilla.

Be careful with the amount of vanilla. It should be added quite a bit so that the sweet smell does not become dominant, but only guessed by distant notes.

Cooking

photo from yandex.ua

If you have prepared the bark in advance, then cooking will take no more than 10 minutes:

Put all the ingredients in a container for infusion and fill with moonshine.
Close the lid and soak the cognac from moonshine on oak bark for 2 weeks in a dark place. Shake contents every 4-5 days.
Dissolve the caramel color in the liquid.
Filter the drink through a thick cloth, bottle and let stand for another week.

Cognac from moonshine on oak bark is perfectly stored without losing its properties in a dark place at room temperature.

Preparation of caramel color for strong alcohol

Even after prolonged aging, cognac does not always acquire its usual deep color. The production technology in eminent cognac houses provides for the addition of burnt sugar for additional flavoring and coloring of the drink.

The right caramel recipe for alcoholic beverages

This recipe is used in the industrial preparation of cognac, and it allows you to make natural dye about stock.

photo from mysister.ru

Ingredients

To prepare caramel color according to cognac standards, you will need the following ingredients:

100 g of sugar;
130 g filtered water;
100 ml 40⁰ moonshine or vodka;
1 g of citric acid (5-6 grains).

Acid is necessary to obtain a uniform caramel consistency, so its addition is mandatory.

Cooking

Don't use an aluminum pan or your caramel will take on a metallic flavor.

Mix 100 g of sugar and 100 ml of water in a saucepan.
Bring syrup to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
When the syrup boils, turn the heat down to low and stir until the mixture is a deep brown.
Cool the resulting caramel, add citric acid and alcohol.
Stir until the burnt sugar dissolves. This is a fairly long process, to speed up which you can slightly warm the liquid.
Add the remaining 30 ml of water and pour the color into a glass storage container.

In a tightly closed bottle, caramel syrup will be perfectly preserved both in the refrigerator and at room temperature. Caramelization products are not affected by bacterial or fungal flora, so there is no danger of damage to the color scheme.

Quick caramel recipe for alcoholic drinks

photo from mcbawse177.appspot.com

The color prepared according to this recipe turns out to be solid, but it is prepared much easier and faster.

Pour sugar into the pan and melt it, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula.
Simmer over low heat until the caramel turns brown and stops foaming.
Without letting it cool, immediately pour it onto food foil.
To add to cognac, chip off a small piece of color.

The golden rule of storing moonshine in an oak barrel: the longer the container and the aging time, the higher the strength of the distillate should be. For a small 2-3 liter barrel, a 45-degree drink will be enough, especially if the period does not exceed 3-4 months. For containers of 10-30 liters, it is recommended to fill in moonshine with an alcohol content of 55-60%. This is also true for long-term infusion of the drink for a period of more than 2 years.

An oak barrel is not the most sealed container for storage. Through its walls evaporation of alcohol(it is called the "angel's share"), due to which the strength of the drink decreases over time. That is why it is recommended to take an extremely responsible approach to the issue of choosing a barrel, since not only the taste of the tincture, but also its strength will depend on it.

Appearance of a classic oak barrel with a tap.

Exists important nuance, which should be considered when choosing a similar container: the smaller the oak container, the faster the alcohol matures in it. For home brewing, it is better not to find a 3 or 5-liter barrel. They cost less, are prepared faster, and the duration of the infusion of the drink is shorter.

illustrative example: how long does it take to insist a decent moonshine in an oak barrel?

Barrel of 5 liters - 4 months.
For 15 liters - 6-8 months.
For 20 liters - 8 months.
For 30 liters - 10-12 months.

It makes no sense to store distillate in a small container for more than 9 months. During this time, the drink will sufficiently absorb the color, smell and taste of oak, after which the banal evaporation of alcohol will begin.

If your volumes are much larger, then it makes sense to buy a large capacity and prepare really strong moonshine. It should have been insisted on for years.

The taste of the drink will depend not only on the period of infusion, but also on the variety of oak.

The issue of maturation speed was raised in a video on the Youtube channel Bondarnaya Lavka.

Which oak barrel is better to choose for home brewing

If you drive distillate only for your own consumption (we do not take family members and friends into account), then barrels of 3, 5 or 10 liters are quite enough for you. Small containers are easier to work with and the drink matures much faster in them..

With large volumes of distillation, it is worth considering buying several barrels of medium volume (up to 60 liters inclusive). The manufacturer must think about improving their product, so sooner or later you will want to experiment with taste. It is for this case that you will have several good containers.

Average prices for oak barrels in Russia:

Give preference to good wood from the Caucasus or France, it will last much longer.

3 liters - 3500 rubles.
5 liters - 4200 rubles
10 liters - 5000 rubles.
20 liters - 6200 rubles.
25 liters - 7000 rubles.
50 liters - 9000 rubles.
100 liters - 12,500 rubles.
225 liters - 23,000 rubles.
400 liters - 34,000 rubles.

The cost will greatly depend on the type of oak. Estimated prices are shown on Caucasian sessile oak.

The shelf life of a good barrel is about 40 years.. Since far from all storage conditions will withstand ideally, feel free to divide this period by two, or even three.

An interesting video can be viewed on the channel Moonshine Sanych. The author talks in detail about the choice of an oak barrel and considers different types of wood for these containers. We highly recommend that you take a look if you are planning to purchase such a container.

How to properly prepare an oak barrel for use

The procedure is extremely responsible and sometimes physically difficult, so be patient and strictly follow the step-by-step instructions:

Leakage of water through the cracks during the initial flush is normal. When the container swells, everything will be fine.

Initial filling of the barrel with cold water. First, the container must be cleaned of dust, chips and other foreign bodies. In addition, the wood swells and, as moonshiners say, "falls into place." The water will drain quickly, so keep adding water all the way to the top. After a few days, the container will stop flowing. It will be necessary to wait for this moment, drain the water and you can proceed to the second stage.
Secondary filling of the barrel with hot water and soda (about 80 degrees Celsius). Thermal steaming of containers is necessary to wash out harmful substances and bad smell. Fill the container with hot water and soda (5 grams per liter) and wrap it with blankets to equalize the temperature outside and inside. After a day, pour out the water and proceed to the third stage.
Tertiary hot water flush. The baking soda needs to be cleaned out, so rinse the container vigorously once more, after which it will be almost ready for use.
Let the barrel dry for a day. This time will be enough for the wood to be fully prepared for pouring moonshine.

Having completed all of the above steps, you can pour absolutely any alcohol into the barrel - moonshine, vodka, wine, and the like.

Not only cognac and whiskey are prepared in oak containers, but also other delicious alcoholic drinks, so this container can be called truly universal.

The experience of preparing an oak barrel is shared in his video Georgy Kavkaz. All actions are clear and understandable, so you can use its technology. Just keep in mind that the first filling should still be done with cold water, and not warm or hot.

In order to make moonshine a truly noble drink, you may need special barrels for moonshine. Since the Middle Ages, it has been concluded that the storage of alcohol in wooden barrels has a significant effect on its taste. It becomes richer and more enjoyable. The thing is that the wood that makes up the barrel "breathes". This contributes to the saturation of the drink with oxygen. Alcohol vapors, on the contrary, cannot go outside. As a result, the process of additional oxidation of moonshine and giving it new flavors takes place. The best option wood is oak. IN oak barrels contains tannins, which will not only improve the taste of moonshine, but give it a noble color.

In order to infuse moonshine, barrels with a volume of 2 to 10 liters are suitable. The smaller the volume, the faster the process will go. This is due to the fact that in small barrels the area of contact of moonshine with the walls of the vessel is much larger. But if you still plan to insist on moonshine for a long time, then it is better to give preference to a larger barrel, 10-50 liters.

It should be remembered that when the drink ripens, a small part of the proportion of alcohol still evaporates. It has the name "Angel's Share". It is believed that about 1 liter of the drink flies away per year, and it doesn’t matter what volume the barrel was. Waxed barrels are used to reduce the volume of silent losses. Waxing also protects the barrel from various external influences, which prolongs its service life. Wax does not affect gas exchange, and moonshine will ripen well. All this applies to barrels up to 20 liters, there is no point in waxing large volumes.

The wood from which the barrels are made must be dried in the open air for at least 3 years. From the inside, it can be burned. Roasting contributes to a better transfer of tannins into the drink. Hoops must be galvanized or stainless steel.

Pay attention to the faucet. This is the weakest point of any barrel, as it leaks very often. If the tap is important for the beautiful serving of the drink on the table, then you can use a separate barrel of a small volume for this. In other cases, it is better to avoid this accessory.

A new barrel should not be immediately filled with moonshine. It must first be properly prepared. During preparation, the concentration of tannins (tannins) in the wood is reduced. If this is not done, then the drink will have an unpleasant tart taste, it is also called "plinth" or "pinocchio".

Preparation consists of several stages and will require you a large number water and a long period of time.

1. First you need to fill a new container with water at room temperature to 90% of the volume. Close the barrel and leave it for 3-4 hours. It is necessary to inspect the barrel for leaks. Small leaks are not critical. Oak staves will get wet and the leak will disappear. Drain the water after 4 hours.

2. Refill with water and leave for 2-3 days. If there are leaks, it is necessary to periodically add water until they are eliminated. If the leak is large, the barrel needs repair. Drain the water. It should be brown, dirty yellow.

3. Pour boiling water 10% of the volume. Close the barrel and shake it so that the water washes the walls completely. After an hour, add water to the brim and close the barrel.

4. Change the water every day until it becomes colorless and odorless. It could take a month

5. The next step is to fill the barrel halfway with water at a temperature of 70°C. First, soda must be dissolved in water at the rate of 20g per 1 liter. Shake the barrel well for 10 minutes and drain the water.

6. Now you need to clean the container from soda. To do this, you must first fill it with hot water for 15-20 minutes, and then with cold water for 10-12 hours.

7. Pour moonshine of primary distillation with a strength of 20-30% into a soaked barrel with the addition of wine. Insist 2-3 months.

8. Drain, rinse. Now your barrel is ready to infuse moonshine

To withstand moonshine in a barrel should be in a ventilated area, without heat sources. Humidity should be around 80-85%. If it is too dry, the strength of the product will increase, and if it is wet, then vice versa it will fall. In both cases, the total number will decrease. Therefore, sometimes it is necessary to top up the contents. Once a month, you should taste the extract of moonshine. It is better to underdo than to overdo.

After each use, the ripening period increases. Valuable substances are slowly turning into moonshine each time. Already after the third time you can notice the difference. The recommended number of cycles is 6-7 times. If we count six months per cycle, then it will be about 3.5 years. But these are all approximate terms and you can increase them if you use a barrel for storage afterwards.

The article was prepared based on materials: the book "Fundamentals of Whiskey Technology" Makarov S.Yu. and forum discussions

One of the main differences between the technology of distilled drinks (whiskey, cognac, Calvados, etc.) from our classic moonshine is a long-term aging in barrels. Barrels can be made from various types of wood, both deciduous and coniferous. However, as it was found over time, almost all types of wood either have a negative impact on the quality of whiskey, enriching it with undesirable components, or are unsuitable for long-term storage of liquids due to decay. Only oak wood has high strength and a smaller amount of resins compared to other wood species and does not give unnecessarily strong third-party aromas.

In general, buying a barrel of at least complex issue than choosing a moonshine still. All the factors influencing the final choice cannot be listed. Everyone has their own. I spontaneously bought my first oak barrel. The second and third have already bought consciously. I chose them based on the following parameters:

Displacement.

How many liters of barrel do I need? Take a small one - it will end quickly. At the same time, the exposure period will not allow you to quickly fill the need for a drink. If you take a large one - can you fill it so as not to keep it half-empty or, God forbid, completely empty? A balanced assessment is needed between the amount of moonshine produced and disposed of.

Note (source of information - a post on the forum )

According to experts, the quality of the drink also depends on the volume and shape of the barrel: alcohol in small barrels with a larger specific surface matures much faster than in large ones, but the latter give a higher degree of oxidation of whiskey. All over the world, for the standard of 1 year of aging of an alcoholic beverage, its aging for exactly 12 months in a 200-liter barrel is accepted. Aging in barrels of other sizes differs in time. Without going into details why, I simply give the table itself, which indicates the volume of the barrel and how many days a 12-month aging of the product is achieved in a reference, 200 liter barrel:
1 liter - 58 days
2 liters - 80 days
3 liters - 90 days
5 liters - 105 days
10 liters - 134 days
20 liters - 173 days
200 liters - 365 days

Was sawn or split oak used in the production of staves?

In the manufacture of oak barrels for manufacturers of alcoholic beverages, the "chopped oak" technology is used. It is more expensive, but allows you to get better quality barrels. For home distillers there are barrels made using the "sawn oak" technology. They are cheaper but lower quality. This is exactly what I bought the first time.

With or without a faucet?

I prefer no faucet. Extra hole through which leaks are possible. Although for decorative use it is more beautiful of course with a tap. How to drain the finished product without a tap? I use a hose.

Where to buy?

But in any case, do not rely on the price. Buy only on the recommendation of users who are not interested in selling. Ask a question where it is better to buy in any group about moonshine in the social network.

Preparing the Barrel for Operation

A new oak barrel must be prepared before use. When making the barrel, no glue or nails are used. The barrel consists only of oak staves, which are very carefully selected in size and held by metal hoops.

There may be natural gaps between oak staves, invisible to the human eye, but essential for the liquid that can flow through these gaps. Therefore, the cask retting procedure is the process of eliminating small gaps between oak staves to make the cask airtight.

The soaking process is as follows: pour the full volume into the barrel plain water, it is necessary to change the water every 2-3 days so that it does not "stumble". You need to do this until the oak barrel stops flowing. At the beginning of the soaking, the water will be dark brown - this is the result of the extraction of tannins. Their concentration must be reduced until the water in the barrel becomes clear. Dark brown water at the beginning of the soak is natural dye. Therefore, it is not recommended to carry out the soaking process in expensive bathtubs, which can be stained with tannin.

As a rule, the complete elimination of leaks occurs within 2-3 weeks, but this process can take up to 4 weeks. After the oak barrel stops flowing, and the water in it becomes clear - oak product ready for your first use.

The theory of aging in oak barrels

Creating barrels

For the manufacture of barrels, wood is selected between the core and sapwood of trees, devoid of large knots and graininess. Oak for the manufacture of staves is not sawn, but split along the wood fibers to ensure greater strength and water resistance, and then planed by hand or on machines into even boards (staves). The output of split riveting from the business part of the oak does not exceed 18-22%. Staves are laid out in the open air, where they are aged (ripen) in stacks, depending on the climate, for 1.5 to 3 years (in France - up to 5) without sheds to dry out and eliminate the undesirable bitter taste of raw wood and muffle "oak" tones . After the expiration of the exposure, the rivets are finally given the desired curved shape of the side surfaces by cutting along the patterns. The skeleton of the barrel is assembled with a fan on one end working hoop. Further, to ensure better flexibility of the staves, the wood is subjected to heating (burning) with periodic surface moistening. The degree of burning depends on the time of contact with fire, which can vary from light to strong. Despite the differences in barrel preparation technology, and, as a result, different organoleptics of the future drink, the main goals achieved after roasting are approximately the same:

degradation of wood polymers to obtain aromatic compounds;

destruction of unpleasant resinous compounds found in the tree;

charring wood and creating a layer of pure carbon on the surface.

Under the action of fire, the wood changes its structure, the sugars contained in it are caramelized, some aromatic components are released, which will appear in the drink with hints of vanilla, coffee, toast, spices. The content of furan aldehydes in the wood, mainly furfural, phenoaldehydes (vanillin, syrinaldehyde), (3-methyl-y-octalactone) increases. The finished barrel is re-fired, which gives the drinks in it a characteristic aroma of fresh bread crust, caramel, roasted almonds. whiskey maturation process and, although the total amount of extracted tannins is reduced, as a result of enrichment with the components of the breakdown of wood substances, alcohols of higher quality are obtained.

Variety and quality of oak affect the organoleptic quality of the final product. therefore, trees no younger than 40 years old are used. For exposure the best varieties selected trunks having an age of 100 to 200 years.

The substances that make up the wood enrich the bouquet of the drink, it becomes complex:

Two types of lactones are responsible for the oaky and coconut flavors in aged beer, which are released when the wood is dried;

Vanillin is obtained by roasting a barrel, but high temperatures can reduce its level;

Thanks to guaiacol, formed during the breakdown of lignin under the influence of fire, the drink acquires a smoky flavor;

If spicy, clove notes are felt, then this is the influence of volatile phenol-eugenol. It is released during the drying of wood, but decreases from firing;

Furfural appears during the dehydration of hemicellulose pentosaccharides at high temperature and gives the drink shades of creamy toffee, almonds, fresh bread

In general, the analysis of oak wood by gas chromatography methods gives about 100 chemical components.

There are about 300 types of oak in the world, but only three of them are suitable for cooperage:

Rock Oak (Quercus sesstiis)

Pedunculate oak (Quercus peduncolator)

North American white oak (Quercus alba)

On a note

French oak is currently considered the best. Its wood is not only very fragrant, but the very subtlety of its aromas is considered unsurpassed. However, this wood is the most expensive on the market.

Slavonian oak is exclusively a variety (Quercus peduncolator). The structure of its fibers is somewhat coarser than that of the French. The main suppliers of these breeds are Hungary, Romania, Ukraine and Russia.

Wood american oak has a significantly higher hardness. Most of the oak used to age whiskey these days comes from the USA.

The barrel consists of a round, somewhat convex in the middle of the core and two flat bottoms - end walls. The skeleton and donya are assembled from separate planks. The skeleton of the barrel is pulled together with galvanized steel hoops, which achieves strength and tightness, glue or nails are not used, as they will affect the taste of the drink. The bottoms are firmly held in the body of the barrel with their beveled edges on both sides, which enter the grooved grooves on the inner surface of the body, called chimes. The middle, most convex part of the skeleton is called a bunch. The diameter in the bunch is the diameter of the largest section of the barrel.

Service life of an oak barrel

Barrels in the course of their operation take an active part in the formation of consumer properties of drinks, and, therefore, grow old and after a certain period, become unsuitable for further work, "die". The aging of oak barrels has not yet been studied, however, qualitative changes consist in the washing out of individual chemical components and a change in the porous structure of the stave, the inner surface is noticeably destroyed.

Barrel upgrade

Multiple reuse barrels for infusion due to depletion of extractives give an unsatisfactory result, so they can be regenerated. Barrels are cleaned from the inside with metal brushes or mechanical devices, and then re-charred with gas burners. At the same time, changes of lignin and polysaccharides similar to the first firing take place. However, other constituents of the wood may not be regenerated, so a drink aged in such casks will vary greatly in quality, and most of the whiskey aged in such casks is only used for blending.

Existing styles of aging in oak barrels

With the exception of whiskey made in the US and Canada, very few whiskeys are put into new barrels. Most barrels have previously held other spirits or wines. According to some winemakers, whiskey matures best in used casks, their first aging removes the most obvious "woody" flavor from the wood, while adding its own desired shades. strong drink or wine. Other experts, on the contrary, argue that new charred barrels give the drink a better bouquet and accelerate maturation. In any case, it is obvious that the choice of barrel is determined by the food traditions of the country of origin, the style, from which the following can be distinguished.

Scottish-Irish style.

Whiskey is aged in oak barrels up to 700 liters (usually 180-500) for at least 3 years. Infusion is done in used bourbon (charred) or sherry casks. Oak stocks in these countries are very limited, so initially this was done to reduce the cost of purchases, since barrels are not reused in the USA (bourbon) and Spain (sherry). However, it turned out that such barrels give whiskey a new quality, and marketers included used barrels in the whiskey legend created in those years. The most suitable are Spanish sherry casks. Filmy sherry yeast "yog" (Saccharomyces ellipsoideous), living on the surface of the wine, not only absorbs the sharpest part of the extractive substances of the oak, but also add other wine oxidation products, which are then transferred to the whiskey. Since sherry casks are in short supply, American white oak casks, previously containing bourbon, are used.

American style.

Aging only in new heavily charred oak barrels. According to one of the legends, such barrels began to be used when, after a fire in one of the warehouses, whiskey had to be kept in partially burnt barrels, this improved the quality of the drink so much that the next time they were fired from the inside on purpose. According to another version, fish barrels were used, which were subjected to deep roasting to get rid of the fishy smell. The barrels were stuffed with straw and set on fire, which deodorized them and killed most of the microorganisms on the walls. Be that as it may, a deeper roasting of the barrels allows you to somewhat speed up the maturation of the drink, strengthens the walls, protecting them from decay, and disinfects the surface layers inoculated with microorganisms during the maturation of the stave. Whiskeys are obtained with a sweetish aftertaste and a beautiful golden color, the specific corn smell disappears. After the drink has matured, barrels are not used again in the USA, but are sold to the countries of the Old World and Canada.

Canadian.

For aging, oak barrels are used, both new and from bourbon, sherry, fortified wines. The volume of barrels is up to 680 liters. The holding period is at least three years. Three-year aging became mandatory only from 1974, and before that, according to the law of 1890, whiskey was aged for at least two years.

Processes that occur during aging in a barrel

Unaged whiskey contains more than a thousand different components in its bouquet, and, as a rule, has mediocre organoleptic properties. It is during aging in oak barrels that whiskey reaches its final bouquet, this is the longest operation, so aging can be considered the main operation in which alcohol with low organoleptic properties becomes whiskey, which at the same time acquires characteristic color and flavor properties, darkens, the taste becomes softer, additional aromas appear. Despite the fact that many reactions that take place during aging in oak barrels have already been described, there is still no complete understanding of the chemical and physical processes that occur during this, and, perhaps, the only way to assess the quality of aging remains organoleptic.

Changes in the organoleptic properties of the drink

During aging, reactions take place that form new aromas, and vice versa, remove other chemical compounds. In any case, during the exposure, the flavor and aroma characteristics of the product should improve. By "mature" aromas, they mean vanilla, spicy, floral, woody and soft. To "rough", "immature" include sour, grassy, oily and sulphurous odors. The degree and rate of change in organoleptic properties during aging depends on the type of barrels. Clyne J. (1993) showed that filtering whiskey through charcoal before aging enhances the intensity of such "mature" characteristics as "softness", "vanilla" and "sweetness", and reduces the intensity of "immature" ("sharpness", "acidity" and "oiliness"), and vice versa, the use of already used barrels reduces the intensity of the characteristics of "maturity" and increases the intensity of "immature" properties.

Changes in chemical composition during aging

From a chemical point of view, for the separation of volatile compounds from the mash, the distillation process is decisive, and aging in barrels mainly affects the content of non-volatile compounds. However, some volatile compounds undergo significant changes during aging, which are associated with the type of barrels. During aging, color, pH, total solids, acids, esters and sugars change, and the combination of all of the above components affects the taste and aroma of the final product.

During maturation, a lot of different reactions take place simultaneously, the products of which, in turn, react with each other, however, they can be conditionally divided as follows:

1) direct extraction of soluble wood compounds;

2) decomposition of wood substances such as lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose with the formation of soluble substances that can be extracted with a water-alcohol solution;

3) chemical interaction of wood substances with distillate substances;

4) reactions in which only soluble substances of wood participate;

5) reactions in which only distillate substances participate;

6) evaporation of volatile substances of the distillate, both through the layer of wood and through the micro-leaks of the staves;

7) the formation of stable hydrates of ethanol and water, as well as hydrates of other substances in the distillate.

1. Direct extraction of soluble wood compounds.

In the wood of barrels, the main types are formed as a result of the splitting of polymeric compounds of wood (lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose), both directly in the thickness of the staves, and after their extraction with a water-alcohol solution. Oak wood consists of 45% cellulose, 15% hemicellulose, 30% lignin and 10% extractable fractions (essential oils, volatile and non-volatile acids, sugars, sterols, tannins, dyes and inorganic compounds). Despite the relatively small amount of extractable fractions, they have a major impact on the aged drink, and their composition depends on the type of wood, pre-treatment and on how many times the barrel has already been used for aging drinks. In general, more tannins and less lactones and scopoletin are extracted from European oak wood than from American, but this alone cannot explain the differences in the organoleptic properties of whiskey when aged in various barrels. Such differences are only partly related to the wood of the barrels - they are also influenced by different barrel manufacturing technologies.

Barrel roasting, which is so widespread in the USA, is one of the reasons for the specific aroma of bourbon (a rich creamy-floral bouquet that combines aromas of toffee, chocolate, vanilla, honeysuckle and anise, a grain taste with tones of candied fruit, nutmeg and spices). During pyrolysis of the inner surface of barrels under the influence of fire, a layer of coal is formed and the release of lactones, coloring and phenolic extracts from oak wood increases significantly. The main factor in increasing the content of phenolic extract is the decomposition of lignin to aromatic compounds - vanillin, lilac, coniferous and mustard aldehydes. During exposure, these compounds are extracted with alcohol, and further decomposition of lignin occurs under the action of oxidation and hydrolysis. With repeated use of barrels, the content of the extract decreases each time. With a decrease in the content of the extract, the development of such properties inherent in ripened drinks as “softness”, “vanilla” and “sweetness” is also reduced, as well as the degree of suppression of “unaged” properties - “soapiness”, “oiliness” and “sulphuriness”. Naturally, there comes a time when the barrel exhausts its ability to improve the organoleptic properties of the drink and it is recognized as "exhausted resource".

2. The decomposition of wood substances with the formation of soluble substances, extractable with a water-alcohol solution.

Among the substances extracted from wood, tannins, lignin, reducing sugars are most abundant, and to a lesser extent - amino acids, lipids, volatile acids and oils, resins, and enzymes. At the first stage, the extraction of the most easily extracted tannins and their intensive oxidation, hydrolysis of hemicelluloses and the appearance of xylose, arabinose and glucose, and the formation of furfural take place. At the next stage, the extraction of tannins weakens, but their further oxidation occurs.

3. Chemical interaction of wood substances with distillate substances.

The maturation and aging of alcohol is accompanied not only by the extraction of oak components and their chemical transformation under the influence of oxygen, but also by the interaction of these compounds with each other and alcohol. Usually these are esterification reactions, but theoretically they can also include oxidation and acetylation reactions. During aging, due to the esterification of free acids with ethyl alcohol, the concentration of esters increases. Lignin and the products of its transformations play a decisive role in the formation of the taste and aromatic characteristics of the drink. In the process of long-term storage of alcohol in oak containers, oak wood is ethanolized and the alcohol is enriched with ethanol-lignin. Alcoholic acids, the content of which somewhat increases with the exposure of alcohol, enhance the ethanolization of lignin. Ethanol-lignin serves as a source of formation of coniferyl and synapic alcohol, which, under the action of oxygen, turns into coniferyl and synapic aldehydes, respectively. Further oxidation of these substances leads to the formation of vanillin, lilac aldehyde and other whiskey components that have a specific pleasant aroma and participate in the addition of its high organoleptic properties.

4. Reactions in which only soluble substances of wood are involved.

As a result of the oxidation of the polymer compounds of wood and whiskey, the taste of the resulting drink improves. So, when tannins are oxidized, the taste softens, the roughness and sharpness in the taste (“oak tones”) disappear, as a result of the oxidation of oak wood lignin, aromatic aldehydes, acids, which mainly determine the organoleptic properties of the alcoholic beverage, are formed and extracted into the aged drink. . During the oxidation of carbohydrates, compounds of the furan series (furfural and its derivatives) are released into the solution, which also determine the taste and aroma of the resulting drink. The formation of molactones, which are also aroma-forming compounds, is associated with the oxidation of wood lipids; it is also likely that these compounds can be formed during the oxidation of fusel oils and aliphatic acids. Oak wood contains quite a lot of tannins (about 1% in American white oak and 8% in Spanish or French), which are the most extractable substance. There are also lignins, vanillin and wood sugars, which caramelize during the roasting of the barrel, giving the contents, in addition to color, a sweetish taste and aroma. Oak enriches the drink with hemicellulose, tannins, lignins, polyphenols, colorants and aromatic organic acids (wine and spirits aged in new oak barrels are especially characterized by the smell of vanilla).

5. Reactions in which only distillate substances participate.

Changes in distillate properties during aging can be caused by loss or suppression of aromatics due to evaporation of low boiling point compounds through the wood, adsorption to the surface of the barrel, or a chemical reaction resulting in a reduction in the whiskey's volatile content, or a change in its organoleptic properties.

Chemical reactions that affect the change in the content of components in the distillate include oxidation and acetylation reactions. Examples of the former are the formation of acetaldehyde from ethyl alcohol and acetic acid, as well as the formation of dimethyl sulfoxide from dimethyl sulfide. Aging oxidation reactions are enhanced in the presence of wood extracts, especially vicinal hydroxyphenols, which, along with trace amounts of copper from the distillation apparatus, act as catalysts.

6. Evaporation of volatile substances of the distillate, both through the layer of wood and through the micro-leaks of the staves.

The most intense change in the chemical composition of whiskey occurs in the first year of aging. The content of titratable and non-volatile acids, extract and tannin increases especially rapidly. The content of aldehydes and fururol in the first year remains practically unchanged, and then the rate of their formation increases. The amount of esters increases uniformly throughout the entire shelf life. The content of higher alcohols slightly increases. Color and extract increase almost evenly. In general, the concentration of most volatiles is increased by the evaporation of alcohol and water during storage (natural "concentration"). But the sharp increase in esters and aldehydes occurs due to other reactions.

Oak wood belongs to colloidal capillary-porous bodies, in which the movement of liquid is caused not only by diffusion-osmotic (impregnation), but also by capillary forces. During aging, the strength of alcohols changes and the volume of the drink decreases due to evaporation through the pores of the barrels.

7. Formation of stable hydrates of ethanol and water, as well as hydrates of other distillate substances.

Whiskeys are composed primarily of ethyl alcohol and water, and the compounds involved in the formation of aroma are present in very small quantities. More D.I. Mendeleev showed that ethanol and water at different ratios do not form a homogeneous mixture, at high concentrations there is an excess of free alcohol molecules, low - water. Only at low concentrations of ethyl alcohol (less than 17% vol.), when combined with water, does it completely form hydrates. This aggregation of ethanol molecules increases the solubility of hydrophobic aromatic compounds, which in turn affects their release into the headspace of the beverage.

The influence of various factors on the characteristics of the drink during aging

The properties of the barrels for infusion have the greatest influence on the properties of the drink, however, storage conditions, infusion time, and so on also play a certain role.

New burnt barrels.

Aging in new casks imparts intense color and flavor, often completely masking the original distillate bouquet. Aromas described during tasting: wood, vanilla, coconut, resinous, pine, cedar.

Sherry casks.

They give the whiskey typical aromas of sherry: a combination of vanilla, fruity and sweet aromas. Despite the mild mode of heat treatment, alcohol, maturing in such barrels, gives a fairly intense color and aroma.

Bourbon barrels.

Characterized by a dry, earthy, fragrant and vanilla aroma. Quite well changes the properties of the distillate compared to sherry casks.

used barrels.

The repeated use of barrels leads to a decrease in alcohol-extractable compounds, the maturity of the drink comes later, and the ability to mask soapy, fatty and sulfuric aromas is reduced. All compounds extracted from wood with alcohol are preserved, but at a much lower level, their ratio may also change. The evaporation process takes precedence, which inevitably affects the mature whiskey. If bourbon or sherry were previously infused in barrels, their influence on the drink's bouquet is almost imperceptible.

Reclaimed barrels.

Used barrels are restored for subsequent aging by scraping off the old charred layer and re-firing. Regeneration does not completely restore all components of the wood, however extractables levels are higher than in used bourbon or sherry casks. During firing, pyrolysis products of lignin and wood polysaccharides reappear. On the other hand, oak tannins and lactones, extracted by the previous infusion, can no longer be extracted, although they are present in a small amount. The ability to mask unpleasant aromas and tastes of whiskey is also restored.

Barrel sizes.

Barrel sizes vary from 500 liters (bottles) to 191 (standard American) or even 45 liters (octaves). In accordance with the legislation of most countries, their capacity cannot exceed 700 liters. The shape of the barrel may differ from the traditional "barrel-shaped", for example, Spanish port wines are cigar-shaped. The smaller the barrel, the greater its ratio of internal surface area to volume, in connection with which the extraction of compounds from wood is faster, but at the same time, ethyl alcohol and water evaporate faster. If we compare barrels from the same wood and the same "history", then in smaller barrels the degree of extraction of wood components will be higher, and whiskey aging will require less time.

holding time

is an important factor in the maturation of the drink. It is not uncommon to mature within ten to twenty years. It is rather difficult to identify any clear patterns in the change in the quality of the drink due to the many factors that affect whiskey, the processes practically cannot be modeled in the laboratory. The change in color during the first and second filling occurs, as a rule, during the first six to twelve months, after which the rate of pigment extraction decreases, but does not become zero. In used barrels, this effect is not so pronounced and the color increases throughout the exposure. In the latter case, an increase in the aging period undoubtedly affects the appearance of mature flavors of the drink. To be sure, aging in used casks takes longer due to the reduction in extractables, which explains the three-year age for Scotch and Irish whiskeys (in fact, much more) versus two years for American and Canadian whiskeys aged in new casks. Optimum aging periods for wines and spirits were empirically determined. alcoholic beverages in different climatic conditions. Thus, tequila producers came to the conclusion that aging in barrels for more than 7-8 years is meaningless - firstly, a significant part of the volume is lost, and secondly, woody tones begin to dominate in the drink. Therefore, rums and tequilas - drinks from countries with a hot and dry climate - are rarely aged in barrels for more than 10 years. In cool and rainy Ireland, Scotland and France, whiskeys and cognacs can live in barrels for 20, 30 and even 60 years, but those specimens that have benefited from such longevity are the exception rather than the rule. Usually very old spirits as a result of prolonged contact with a barrel completely lose their individual characteristics, turning into an alcohol extract of oak wood. Therefore, throughout the maturation, samples are taken from the barrels for tasting in order to exclude the possibility of “overripening” of the whiskey.

Initial strength of raw whiskey.

Distillates are poured into barrels at a strength of 57 to 70% vol. (American whiskey - up to 62.5% vol.) for malt whiskey and up to 80% vol. for grain. The fortress directly affects the character of the future drink. Low - promotes the preferential extraction of water-soluble compounds, such as hydrolyzed polyphenolic substances, glycerol and sugars. High alcohol content removes alcohol-soluble substances such as lactones, which later create problems during filtration, reducing the content of coloring pigments, solids and volatile acids. The optimal strength for the extraction of solids is 60% vol., but this does not mean the best organoleptic characteristics of the drink. When choosing a fortress, one has to take into account the climatic conditions of storage, what process takes place: strengthening or reducing the alcohol content. American practitioners, for example, consider concentrations up to 50% by volume to be the most favorable, as this not only speeds up the whiskey maturation process, but also minimizes evaporation losses.

Rooms for storing whiskey on maturation.

The distillate loses alcohol, volatiles and water. These unavoidable losses are called the "angels' share", they range from 1.5 to 7% of the total volume of distillate per year, depending on the storage conditions, although the evaporation process slows down somewhat over time. Losses of volatile substances are also different in geographic zones: in countries with a dry and hot climate (Mexico, USA) they can be large, in England with its cool and humid climate they decrease. The rate of liquid volume reduction depends on many factors: the type of oak from which the barrel is made, what kind of drink was previously in it or the barrel was new, the size of the barrel, the number of times this barrel was used to age whiskey (usually a barrel is used to age whiskey not more than three times), alcohol strength, temperature and humidity in the storage, and their differences depending on the geographical location.

Depending on the outside temperature and humidity, both a decrease in the strength of the distillate and its increase can occur, due to the predominant evaporation of not alcohol, but water. It is believed that if the relative humidity is below 70%, then the rate of evaporation of water exceeds the rate of evaporation of alcohol. At humidity levels above 70%, the predominant evaporation of alcohol will take place. At 70% - the evaporation rates of water and alcohol are equal, in this case, a decrease in the volume of the drink is observed without a decrease in strength. Of great importance in increasing losses is also played by air exchange in storage: in well-ventilated rooms or when holding under sheds, losses are higher. Evaporation through leaks in barrel staves should also be taken into account. Of course, the temperature in warehouses is of great importance, accelerating not only evaporation, but also all chemical reactions. A higher temperature allows you to speed up the extraction of barrel substances and the overall maturation of the drink. Ripening at high temperatures, accelerating the rate of diffusion processes, gives whiskey darker, sweeter, but with big amount impurities and less pleasant than at low temperature.

In general, the influence of parameters such as temperature, humidity, ventilation rate and barrel pressure on the quality of whiskey is not exactly known. Therefore, there are no scientifically based recommendations for the design of storage facilities, their designs are developed mainly on the basis of traditions and experience.

Professional winemakers know how ordinary moonshine in a barrel turns into a noble drink. The reason is in the chemical and physical processes that occur during the aging of alcohols.

Physical processes that occur during refining in a barrel:

1. Extraction. Various substances pass from the wood of the barrel into alcohol: acids, protein and nitrogenous substances, carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins, lignin. In addition, the tree contains minerals, such as potassium and sodium. All these components create an alcohol extract. In order for the extraction process to take place more actively, it is necessary to increase the storage temperature and lower the pH of the distillate. Once in solution, all of the listed substances begin to enter into me waiting for myself in a chemical reaction. So, the drink gets in oak barrel color, taste and aroma.

2. Evaporation. Any high-quality barrel has pores, cracks and other microscopic holes. Volatile substances evaporate through them, less volatile substances remain. Alcohol evaporates easily, therefore, as a result of evaporation, the strength of the drink decreases. Important The most important factor is the humidity in the storage. Interestingly, at a humidity of 70%, alcohol and water evaporate with the same intensity. The drink decreases in volume, but retains the same strength. If the humidity is above 70%, the alcohol will evaporate faster than water, strength decreases. At humidity below 70%, the opposite process is observed.

3. Absorption. An oak barrel not only ennobles spirits with useful substances, is not only guilty of evaporation, it also absorbs alcohol. The intensity of this process depends on the porosity of the wood, storage temperature, volume, ethanol concentration and air velocity (ventilation, drafts, etc.). There are two other important characteristics that affect absorption - these are the viscosity of the distillate and the pressure inside the barrel. Pressure is formed in a tightly closed container due to thermal expansion. And the viscosity increases with time as a result of extraction. The higher the pressure, the more alcohol is absorbed by the wood, the higher the viscosity, the lower the absorption.

Chemical processes in barrels for aging alcohol

1. Redox reactions. Oxygen penetrates through the chimes, joints and rivets. Part of it, dissolving, forms peroxides. Both oxygen and peroxides are unevenly distributed throughout the distillate. Their maximum concentration is formed in the upper layers, the minimum - in the lower. The longer the infusion in the barrel lasts, the more peroxides accumulate in the drink. Redox reactions are accelerated by catalysts. Alcohol is copper and iron. These elements are deposited and accumulate over time on the inner walls of the barrel.
2. Formation of aldehydes. Under the influence of oxygen, not only peroxides are formed. This gas combines with all alcohols, turning them into aldehydes. Another source of aldehydes are amino acids, which undergo oxidation and decarboxylation. In addition, lignin, which entered the drink by extraction, under the action of acids and alcohol decomposes into substances available for oxidation. As a result, aromatic aldehydes such as vanillin and lilac aldehyde are formed. This is how the bouquet of the future drink is formed, which is not by chance that connoisseurs placed in an oak barrel.
3. Hydrolysis to monosaccharides. Hemicelluloses contained in oak wood have a huge impact on the taste of the drink. Under the influence of acids and as a result of other factors, they undergo hydrolysis. Monosaccharides are formed that give alcohol softness: glucose, arabinose, xylose, xylan, galactan. At the first stage of aging in the barrel, xylose and arabinose predominate, and in 10-15-year-old alcohol - levulose and glucose.
4. Tannins. In the first 3-4 years, due to tannins, the drink acquires a rough taste, but becomes rich and beautifully colored. With longer exposure, tannins are oxidized. Alcohol becomes soft.
In other words, moonshine in a barrel after a few years of infusion completely loses its original properties and turns into an alcohol extract infused with oak wood. Every year the drink becomes more and more expensive. After all, it not only evaporates, but also occupies barrels, for the storage of which you have to pay

Barrels for aging alcohol

New or used? IN different countries barrels are used in different ways. For example, in America, whiskey is aged exclusively in new barrels. In Ireland and Scotland, whiskey barrels are made from bourbon, sherry, port, etc.

Different in shape: in Spain, narrow elongated barrels, similar to cigars, are highly valued. It is in them that port wines are traditionally kept in the Portuguese Oporto.

Different sizes: for each variety noble drink use a barrel of a specific size. Particularly in production scotch whiskey 6 types of barrels are involved. The largest is called "butt", its volume is about 500 liters (110 gallons). The smallest is the "octave" at 45-68 liters (10 gallons).

Only real craftsmen can create oak barrels, whose work is highly valued. Oak wood is difficult to process. In addition to skills, you need to be patient. For example, each stave is kept outdoors for 5 years. Bochar determines its readiness by taste.